Structure for feeding cut-out sheets



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.AND SMITH COMPANY, F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATIONDFPENNSYLVANIA.

sraucfrtran ron' manine curou'r smnrs.

.application and January as, 1925. serial ne. 5,197.

' My invention relates to the method ofand structure `for feeding to anysuitable destination, as an 'adhesive-applying machine, cut-out 'sheetsor blanks, yutilizable 'for any suitablepurpose, as, for example, forwrappingv or covering boxes. p

Diiiiculty is encountered infeeding from a pile or stack sheetsor-blanks of paperor other material, a considerable portion of whosearea lying within the outer edges or margins has been cut away orremoved,

forming openings or` apertures whose ex-l tent 'is aconsiderable-portion of the entire face area of the sheet or blank. Anedge of the opening or cut-out is likely to catch upon the loppositecut-out edge of the pile or stack, `particularly"when the sheet is lsolimp or lacking in self-support as to become deformed during theoperation of removal Ifrom the stack. g

This diiiculty is overcome in accordance with my invention, and moreparticularly when the sheets are withdrawn one by one from the top ofthe stack, by utilization of a guiding structure-or member extendingfrom beneath the stack to one side of the cut-out portion thereofintoand upwardly through the cut-out portion .and projecting beyond theforward or opposite edge ofthe cut-out in contact with the top of thestack.

My invention resides in the method and structure hereinafter describedand claimed.

For an understanding of my method and for an .illustration of mystructure, reference is to be had Ito the accompanying drawing, inwhich:v

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view, partly in vertical section, ofapparatus embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a stack and the associated guide member.

Fig. 3 is an edge view of the guide memr. Referring to the drawing,there is disposed upon the support or table 1 a pile or stack S ofsheets, of paper or other material, to

vthe vguide member or ton conveyor belt v11,vvhiclt1 passes over idler12 and is driven by the rolls 13 and 14:. 'As

indicated in Fig. 2, the sheet s has cut out.

therefrom a considerable portion of its area within its edges or marginsforming aperture or cut-out O. Cut-out sheets of thisy character inthestack S will present a forwa'ld or front cut-out wall 15 and the rear wa16.Y

For picking a sheet from thevstaclr and delivering it toA the feedrolls-.2 and jover e 17, "there is provided a suction roller 18, havingthe bore 19 continuously in communication with a vacuum pump, and havingin the face thereof a cup or recess 20 in communication with the bore 19through the passage 21 at which time the roll 3 and tongue 17 are in aposition toward the left, Fig'. 1, removed from above the stack S.

By suitable mechanism, not shown, the I roller 18 is moved along withroll@I 3 and tongue 17 forwardly. and backwardly and simultaneously tosome extent rotated to perform its function of picking up from the stackS and delivering it asaforesaid, from tongue 17 vto rolls 2 and 3. Themove- `ments of roll 3, tongue 17 and roller 18 may be effected bystructure of the character disclosed in ANitsch and Baker applicationSerial No. 3,316, filed January 19, 1925.

The position of the roller 18 at the time of picking up a sheet isindicated in dotted lines Upon application of suction, a sheet is drawninto contact with the roller 18, which in rotating wraps the sheetpartially around.

itself, and by motion of translation of roller 18 delivers the sheet asaforesaid to the rolls 2 land 3. When the sheet is limp, or in any eventinsufficiently self-supporting, it will at the portion to the rear ofthe rear cut-out edge 16 sag or become otherwise deformed, and infurther movement forwardly toward the left will, or is likely to, catchupon the forward wall 15 of the cut-out of the stack S.

To minimize or prevent this behavior on the part of the sheet undergoingwithdrawal from the stack, there is provided a guide member 22,preferably 4of sheet 'materiaL preferably more or less sti, thoughyielding or resilient, The sheet 22 may consist of metal, paper, orcardboard or equivalent. It may be said to comprise the upwardly orinclined guiding portion 22,and the forwardly extending portion 23,adapted to lie upon the top of the stack to the front of the cut-outwall thereof. It may, in addition, have the rearwardly extending portion24 lying upon, held between the bottom of the stack S and the support 1,or secured to support 1 to the rear of the cut-out wall 16.

In withdrawing or feeding a sheet from the stack S as above described,as it ad-` varices from the right toward the left,'the

rear portion or Hap thereof may sag into the opening O of the stack andthe forward edge 16 of the sheet will eventually engage and ride up onthe guide member 22 without. catching upon the forward wall of thecut-out of the stack.

What I claim is:`

k1. Sheet-feeding apparatus comprising a support for a stack of cut-outsheets, and a sheet-like guide member of flexible material extendingfrom within the cut-out of the stack over the forward upper edge thereofand resting upon the' successive top sheets of the stack. l

2;. Sheet-feeding apparatus comprising a support for a stack of cut-outsheets, a sheetlike guide member `of flexible'material extending fromwithin the cut-out of the stack over the forward upper edge thereof andresting upon the successive top sheets of the stack, and means forpicking a sheet from the top of the stack and withdrawing it frombeneath the forward portion of said guide member.

l3. Sheet-feeding apparatus comprising a i support for a stack ofcut-out sheets, and a guide member extending forwardly from the rear ofthe rear bottom edge of the cutlout of the stack forwardlyand upwardlytherethrough from the forward upper edge thereof for guiding the rearedge of the cut-out of eachsheet withdrawn from the stack.

4. Sheet-feeding apparatus comprising a su ort for a stack of cut-outsheets, and a guldemember of exiblesheet material extending forwardlyfrom the rear of the rear bottom edge of the' cut-out of the stackforwardly and upwardly therethrough over the l forward upperedge thereoffor guiding the rear edge of the cut-out of each sheet with-- drawn fromthe stack.

5. Sheet-feeding mechanism comprisin a support for a stack of cut-outsheets, a guide tongue,a guide member having a guiding surface extendingfrom within the cut-out of the stack over the forward upper edgethereof, and means for applying suction to the top sheet of the stackand for delivering the forward portion of said she'et on to said guidetongue, the rear edge of the cut-out of said sheet during its withdrawalmoving forwardly on said guide member.

6.y Sheet-feeding apparatus comprising a support for a stackof cut-o-utsheets, and ya guide member 1 extending diagonally rear edge of thecut-out of each sheet withdrawn from the stack..

8. Sheet-feeding apparatus comprising a support for a stack of cut-outsheets, and a guide member normally resting on said sup# port andextending through the cut-out of said stack into engagement with andoverlying the toprnost sheet thereof at the for- `ward upper edge of thestank for guiding the rear edge of the cut-out of each sheet withdrawnfrom the stack.

9. Sheet-feeding apparatus comprising a support for a stack of cut-outsheets, and a ,guide member normally resting on said support beneath thestack at the rear bottom edge of the cut-out and extending forwardly"and upwardly therethrough intoengagement with and overlying the topmostsheet of the stack at the forward upper edge thereof for guiding therear edge of the cutout of e'ach Sheet withdrawn from the stack.

WILLIAM H.,STREEPER.

